Boots in Ireland confirmed it has sold three times more Identikids wristbands since Madeleine was snatched in Portugal.

"We have sold three times more wristbands in the last week than we normally would, " said Brian Roche of Boots Ireland. "This is probably because people are going on holidays soon. The Madeleine disappearance has probably had an impact and they want to be extra careful."

Identikids wristbands are childsized bracelets with a tag on the inside where parents can put their contact details in case the child gets lost. Two types of bracelet are sold . . .an elementary band for children aged under six and a 'cooler' bracelet for children aged seven to 12.

"As far as the children are concerned, it's just a piece of jewellery, " said Roche. "But for parents it can give extra peace of mind."